Term: dipolar aprotic solvent
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01751

Definition:
A solvent with a comparatively high relative permittivity (or dielectric constant), greater than ca. 15, and a sizable permanent dipole moment, that cannot donate suitably labile hydrogen atoms to form strong hydrogen bonds, e.g. dimethyl sulfoxide. The term (and its alternative 'polar aprotic solvent') is a misnomer and is therefore discouraged. Such solvents are usually not aprotic but protophilic (and at most weakly protogenic). In describing a solvent it is better to be explicit about its essential properties, e.g. dipolar and non-protogenic.

Related Terms:
1) relative permittivity (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.R05273).
2) dielectric constant (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01697).
3) aprotic (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.A00425).
4) protophilic (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04916).
5) protogenic (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04904).
6) dipole moment (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01761).
7) labile (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.L03432).
8) polar aprotic solvent (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.P04708).

Source: PAC, 1994, 66, 1077. 'Glossary of terms used in physical organic chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 1994)' on page 1106 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199466051077)

Citation: 'dipolar aprotic solvent' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.D01751

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